Mystery Monday! The Missing Ones by Patricia Gibney

Title: The Missing Ones
Author: Patricia Gibney
Page Count: 424
Rating: B
Keywords: Ireland, Mystery, Church, Murder
Genre: Mystery
Narrator: Michele Moran
Duration: 13 hours and 56 minutes
Younger Readers: Sexual assault, language, and drugs are all present

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The hole they dug was not deep. A white flour bag encased the little body. Three small faces watched from the window, eyes black with terror.

The child in the middle spoke without turning his head. ‘I wonder which one of us will be next?’

When a woman’s body is discovered in a cathedral and hours later a young man is found hanging from a tree outside his home, Detective Lottie Parker is called in to lead the investigation. Both bodies have the same distinctive tattoo clumsily inscribed on their legs. It’s clear the pair are connected, but how?

The trail leads Lottie to St Angela’s, a former children’s home, with a dark connection to her own family history. Suddenly the case just got personal.

As Lottie begins to link the current victims to unsolved murders decades old, two teenage boys go missing. She must close in on the killer before they strike again, but in doing so is she putting her own children in terrifying danger?

Lottie is about to come face to face with a twisted soul who has a very warped idea of justice.

Fans of Rachel Abbott, Karin Slaughter and Robert Dugoni will be gripped by this page-turning serial killer thriller, guaranteed to keep you reading late into the night.

My Review:

A decided to give this series a chance after listening to a brief sample from the audiobook. I loved Michele Moran's reading! It was fun and she fit the read perfectly, giving it life and personality beyond what I had expected.

As far as the writing went, it was an interesting mystery that at times felt like a newer writer but was enjoyable overall. The feeling of newness wore off as the story progressed and I was able to get more into the story of Lottie Parker. At times she comes across as a bit rough and difficult to like but I found myself warming to her over time. She is a grieving widow doing her best to be good at her job and take care of three kids on her own.

Sometimes I did notice that the mystery could have gone a bit deeper, that certain elements could have been explored more. This was my main complaint with the book. It was certainly enjoyable and interesting. There were just times that with a bit more thought and exploration it could have been turned into something not just good, but great. Despite this, I would be open to reading the next book in the series and see how both the author and Lottie develop.

I would not recommend this book to anyone sensitive to sexual assault or that could be offended by the topic of church officials conducting said abuse. However, if you do not mind reading these sorts of topics then I would definitely give this series a try.